The Arafura Resources uranium project, which opponents warn could lead to a uranium plant in Darwin Harbour, moved a step further through the approvals process this week, with the company's application for a mineral lease at Nolans Bore advertised for public comment.

Last month, local environmentalists welcomed a decision by federal environment minister Peter Garrett to conduct environmental assessment at a Federal level.

Justin Tutty, from the No Waste Alliance, claims the miner, Arafura Resources, attempted to side-step federal environment protection laws relating to the mining of uranium.

"The company attempted to skirt around these laws, but Mr. Garrett's decision recognised the mine as a nuclear action, likely to pose significant environmental impacts."

Mr Tutty says Nolans Bore is the first new uranium mine to commence environmental assessment since Labor turned their backs on the 'no more uranium' policy.

And while many in Darwin are debating the pros and cons of a gas plant at Middle Arm, Mr Tutty warns that an Inpex gas plant could soon have an Arafura uranium plant as a neighbour.

"The Nolans Bore project includes the option of transporting ore – including uranium – to a processing plant on Middle Arm, in Darwin Harbour," said Mr Tutty.

"It's outrageous that the company is seeking approval to dig the uranium without publicly declaring the full details of their processing plant, or the precise nature of the large volumes of radioactive waste to be dumped back on the site."

"Without a full description of the project, we can't be sure about the full range of environmental impacts. It's a text-book example of the pitfalls of piecemeal assessment and we call on the company to make all their plans public," said Mr Tutty